Graduation Date
Summer 2026
Document Type
Thesis
Program
Master of Science degree with a major in Environmental Systems, option Energy, Technology, and Policy
Committee Chair Name
Sarah Rios
Committee Chair Affiliation
Cal Poly Humboldt Faculty or Staff
Second Committee Member Name
Arne Jacobson
Second Committee Member Affiliation
Cal Poly Humboldt Faculty or Staff
Third Committee Member Name
Kevin Fingerman
Third Committee Member Affiliation
Cal Poly Humboldt Faculty or Staff
Keywords
Kern County, Buttonwillow, Carbon TerraVault, California Resource Corporation, Community engagement, Carbon capture and storage, Dissonance, Emergence, Lawlessness, California policy, Emissions, Environmental justice, CCUS
Abstract
Carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS) is one necessary component in California’s strategy in meeting its carbon neutrality goals. CCUS serves as an important piece to reduce greenhouse gas emissions where other sequestration methods are not yet feasible for certain sectors like electricity generation, cement production and refineries. At the same time, the impacts of industrial projects disproportionately impact underserved communities, and there is a need for more equitable community engagement practices. The state has had an increase in CCUS projects, and several are or will be in Kern County, which has often been a leader in the oil and gas industry. Kern County is host to California’s first CCUS project, Carbon TerraVault I (CTV I), owned by the largest oil producer in the state, the California Resources Corporation. In this project, I explore the different bills and policies, or lack thereof, that create more equitable and inclusive engagement for CCUS projects in California. I interview community members who live in Buttonwillow, CA, a community in proximity to CTV I, to understand how they have been included in the project processes and their perceptions of CCUS. Through these interviews I discovered the overlooked needs of a small, unincorporated community. A central piece to this is what I refer to as dissonance and how its influence shapes the culture of both the community and local government agencies. Ultimately, I unearth community-led informal structures of support to make up for county and state oversights in their goals to achieve carbon neutrality for “the betterment of society.”
Citation Style
APA
Recommended Citation
Dorado, Daniell, "The spatial relationship between the residents of Buttonwillow, CA and the carbon capture and storage project, Carbon TerraVault" (2026). Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects. 2597.
https://digitalcommons.humboldt.edu/etd/2597